CSUSM Accounting Society Experience 2013

This is the full version of events regarding my removal as a member of the Accounting Society a full month into membership.
I feel I have been discriminated against due to the fact that I have been living out of my car for almost 3 years while working two jobs and attempting to finish school at California State University - San Marcos.
I will leave it up to public opinion to interpret the following events. All emails are at the very bottom for full insight.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

It took very little inner deliberation to write what I am about to write. I have been attending California State University – San Marcos for almost over four years now and I am two classes (Spanish 102 and 201) away from my BA in Political Science.

I was very excited for the Fall 2013 semester to start because there is nothing I love more than interacting with my fellow classmates and having stimulating and intellectual conversations. Also, I was looking forward to signing up for the Accounting Society because a few semesters back I came across the Accounting Society serving lunch to dozens of people two days a week. One day I inquired with someone handing out the food what exactly the society entailed and how a student such as myself could join and get a slice of pizza two days a week. I was informed that all that was required was a $30.00 membership fee and to fill out the application for the society. That was when I planned to join once Fall 2013 started so I could save a little money each week and be able to eat.

The Fall 2013 semester began and I immediately went to where the Accounting Society’s office is on campus and acquired a membership form, wrote my $30.00 check and turned it all in to a very nice woman who runs the office. Before signing the form and handing over my check I informed her of my living situation in that for the past three years since my divorce I have been living out of my car, working two jobs (one being on campus) and attempting to finish my BA in Political Science. She was very sympathetic and understanding informing me that the Accounting Society was just what I needed to get a lunch twice a week for just paying the $30.00 membership fee. There were no stipulations or requirements on the contract, that I can recall, nor did the woman who ran the office notify me of any such stipulations or guidelines.

Today is October 5, 2013 and ever since the Fall 2013 semester started I have been going to Markstein Hall every Tuesday and Thursday to get my free lunch. Most days it’s a slice of pizza and a soda or bottled water. One day it was a cup of soup and bottled water.

On October 4, 2013 I received an email from Aaron Campos, the President of the Accounting Society. Apparently for the past month, every Tuesday and Thursday when I go to where the Accounting Society is serving food and I am required to sign their sign in sheet, I was supposedly not yet a member of their society. Yet, every Tuesday and Thursday for a month I have signed their sign in sheet and picked up food to eat lunch. A 1$ slice of pizza most days and a bottled water.

Aaron Campos informed me that for a month they have been sitting on my check and having faculty and board meetings over me and my “plight” as he phrases it in his first email. Aaron then goes on to say that I have not been attending the meetings that are required to receive the lunch. Aaron also informs me that these are new guidelines for the Accounting Society and in his own words, “we do not have 100% compliance in practice.” I attempted to inform Aaron and his associates in my third email to them that I work on campus as a student assistant during their meetings and I only have time to come and get the food and return to work. This information did not seem to matter.

In addition, Aaron writes in his first email, “However, if you do not have enough interest in the topics and presenters coming to the Accounting Society, then I feel that your money could be put to better use elsewhere.”

When I joined the Accounting Society it was clear to those that received my membership form and application that I was living out of my car and that this would be the best use of my money so I could eat lunch on two days out of the week versus not being able to afford lunch period.

Aaron writes that the reason they did not cash my check a month ago was because it costs them extra money to do refunds.

Now for the question of all questions:

Was anyone else singled out and their checks not cashed? Why did I, out of all the new members, warrant a committee, board and faculty meetings to decide my membership?

From the get-go the Accounting Society knew of my living situation and from the get-go, they did not cash my check. For four weeks I signed their sign-in sheet and I ate the food they provided and suddenly a month later I have now been “kicked out” of the Accounting Society.

If I was removed from the Accounting Society because of not attending meetings are they removing other current members for not attending meetings? Do they create a list at the beginning of the year when people are signing up to be members, a sort of “Do not Feed” or a “Red Flag” list similar to a “No Fly Listing” via airports?

I have never felt so discriminated against in all my life and I find what has occurred to me completely unjust, unfair and unacceptable. How many other people have been kicked out of the Accounting Society for their living situation because that is what this is truly all about otherwise they would have treated me like every other current member and cashed my check immediately because truly, “Why not cash my check?” Why wait a month to decide to remove me from the Accounting Society with no notice to me during that month in addition to the fact that the Accounting Society allowed me to consume food two times a week for a month. The only difference in me and other members, is most likely the fact that I am living out of my car. Perhaps my honesty when filling out my membership form and check is now the bane of my existence, and if that is the case it is a sad day when honesty is rewarded with a denial of food. Food only worth a few dollars if I might add.

I have been informed by the Chair of the Accounting department, Dr. Alan Styles that it was his final decision and all further correspondence should go to him. Perhaps if you feel this is unjust, unfair and outright discrimination then maybe people should correspond with him because I would hate for this to happen to another starving student.

I have created a Blog and posted the series of events in addition to ALL email correspondence so people can fully evaluate the situation without bias and lack of facts.

Yet another mark against California State University – San Marcos, and it isn’t a good mark.

Respectfully,

Jeff Meints

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UPDATE - 10/28/2013

Two weeks ago a meeting was set up between Greg Toya, Shannon Nolan, Jenni Goldman, Robert Aiello-Hauser and myself regarding the above situation. The meeting was supposed to be about possible solutions for the incident and relating to my living situation. Robert Hauser was there to represent me and I by the end of the meeting I could tell Jenni Goldman was also there to legitimately support me.

However, the meeting did not start off relating to my living situation and resources that could be provided but instead Shannon Nolan and Greg Toya, which were the obvious legal minds in the room, immediately jumped upon me rejoining the Accounting Society. They both acknowledged a mistake was made and the Accounting Society had no right to remove me from their society, and they informed me that they had my $30.00 check with them and application, and if I wanted to right then and now, I could rejoin the society. I told them I would think about it. They didn't seem to like that response and my response/decision was then deadlines for the following Thursday.

The meeting then proceeded as it should have proceeded from the beginning and discussion was opened to the possible resources on campus for me, the possibility of parking on campus so to save me gas and the removal of fearing police impounds and overall, I felt Jenni and Robert actually cared about my situation and helping me.

A week later Thursday came and I needed to inform Shannon on if I wanted to rejoin or not. The only problem was is that I felt rejoining the society would not rectify the weeks since removal from the society that I have not received their food. So I decided to propose a solution that would rectify all of this in my mind and ensure that this would never happen again to another student / human being.

I proposed through an email to Shannon Nolan that before I can decide to rejoin the Accounting Society I think it would be fair that Dr. Alan Styles and the President of the Accounting Society, Aaron Campos, made a public apology to me in one of those meetings that they so direly wanted me to attend. I also gave an alternative option which would be a written apology from both parties.

However, I have just been informed that those two options most likely will not work and Shannon Nolan attempted to persuade me that only Dr. Alan Styles was responsible, despite the obvious fact that Aaron Campos was clearly involved and was the person who began correspondence with me regarding all of this. Shannon Nolan proposed the only other option is to have a sit down with Dr. Alan Styles and express the impact this has had on me, so he understands. I have decided that this is unacceptable. I am unsure of what to do next and for now, this is what it is.... for now. I pray some form of justice will be served but at the moment it appears that this might be another, "Sweep it under the rug" moment.

Below are the email correspondence between Aaron Campos, the President of the California State University - San Marcos Accounting Society, in addition to the Chair of Accounting Department, Dr. Alan Styles.

I will post the full version of events in a separate forum posting on this Blog so not to clutter up this email posting.

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Email #1 – September 5, 2013

To whom it may concern,

I've been a student at CSUSM for about four years now and a few
semesters ago I came across your Accounting Society and how they serve
food everyday to their members.

I've been living out of my car ever since my divorce, for 3 years,
while working two jobs and going to school to finish my BA. Money is
incredibly tight and somedays I don't get to eat but I have enough
money to pay the $30 membership fees and I just hope there is still a
chance for me to become a member this semester so I can eat each day.

Thank you for your patience with this email and I look forward to your response.

Respectfully,

Jeff Meints

EMAIL #2 – October 4, 2013

Jeff,

Thank you for your interest in the Accounting Society. While your plight is one that makes it difficult for me to make any kind of decision towards your membership, I would like to clarify the purpose of the amenities for the members of the society.

The food that we offer to our members is provided because the timing of the meeting is in the middle of when most students spend time eating lunch. Because we are keeping members from their lunch, we offer them food so they are not late for the presentations given by the firms that have paid to come speak to them.

Over the course of the past semesters, we have worked to be more cost conscious and responsible with the membership dues that are paid each semester. There have been accounting major members of the society that took their share of the lunch and did not attend the speaker’s presentation. This is not aligned with the purpose of the provided lunch.

As I was presented with your email and subsequent application to the Accounting Society, I was met with this difficult situation. I have both turned away paying members who are Accounting Students that have no intention of attending the speaker’s presentation, and (more often) encouraged the paying members to attend the meeting. This new level of cost conscious behavior is something the entire Accounting Society is now aware of, and while we do not have 100% compliance in practice, it is something for which we strive.

I apologize that it has taken me so long to get back to you about this, but there was quite a bit of discussion that was held between me and my board members and faculty advisor. I have not yet deposited the check you paid with your application, which is why your name has not appeared on our member sign in sheet at the meetings. I would ask that, should you wish to continue to take part in the amenities provided to our members, that you also attend our meetings. I understand that you are not an Accounting Major and you may have no interest in accounting, but membership to our society is open to all majors. I can make the point all day that accounting is knowledge every profession should have, and you can benefit from what our speakers have to say. However, if you do not have enough interest in the topics and presenters coming to the Accounting Society, then I feel that your money could be put to better use elsewhere. This keeps the membership and benefits process fair for all of our members.

I look forward to hearing back from you. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Regards and Best Wishes,

Aaron Campos

President – Fall 2013

CSUSM Accounting Society

Email #3 – October 4, 2013

Aaron,

First off thank you for your email. Secondly i am a little offended that you are revoking my membership and my free lunch I pay for because I do not attend your meetings. I did not read anywhere on the membership form that I was required to attend the meetings in order to recieve lunch in addition I am working on campus during those hours. I work two jobs in addition to going to school Monday through Thursday from 3 PM until 8 PM some days.

I must ask why exactly did you not cash the check I gave it to you over a month ago. Because of bad time I am sure you were not aware that I was not attending the meetings so I have to assume that you didn't cash it because of the fact I was homeless.

To be honest, This kind of feels like discrimination… I suggest you cash my check and kindly allow me to continue receiving the lunch that I paid for over a month ago.

I am sure you understand my position and I am sure it should not be a problem accommodating me. Thank you for your time and patience with this email.

Respectfully,

Jeff Meints

Email #4 – October 4, 2013

Jeff,

I would like to begin by simply stating that the fact that you were or are homeless has had no bearing on the board’s decisions. I did not cash your check because it is very difficult and time consuming to issue a refund through the student organization banking structure. The society does not have a regular bank like Wells Fargo or Chase. We must have releases for funds processed through Associated Students Incorporated, who acts as the steward to the society’s funds. It was merely a practical decision because you are not an Accounting Major and historically, we have had non-accounting majors request refunds because they were not as interested in the material presented as they had originally planned.

I would also like to add that I was not revoking your membership. I explained in my email that I was simply holding all of our members equally and to the same standard the Board had established. During this time of discussion, even though the Society had not deposited your check, we have allowed you to take part in the equal share of lunches so far.

In any case, the Department of Accounting’s Chair, Dr. Alan Styles has overruled me in this matter. I’ve been asked to return your check to you at your earliest convenience. Please let me know when you are available for me to return this to you while you are on campus.

Regards and Best Wishes,

Aaron Campos

President – Fall 2013

CSUSM Accounting Society

Email #5 – October 4, 2013

Aaron,

Fascinating… You didn't cash my check for over a month because it would cost you too much to refund me. So, from the very first moment I gave the Accounting Society my check knew of my living situation and then suddenly my check is not cashed. For a month I take your food and you set the precedent that I am a part of your society and the check has been cashed yet it has not with no word to me the whole time.

Did you wait to cash every other members check? Did you have some sort of list of new members that were flagged for possibly requiring a refund? The fact of the matter is, A) i was singled out and B) legally speaking I signed a contract with you and gave you a check and for a month you complied to that contract by allowing me to consume your food. Suddenly you're now revoking my membership over guidelines that are were not stated in the contract signed as far as i recall. There was never a verbal notice to me by the people running your office that attending the meetings was mandatory either or no lunch or membership upon handing over of the check.

There's no other way to look at this other than discrimination due to me being homeless. If this were not the case, I would have been treated like every other new member by you cashing my check and not thinking a second thought. Instead, you knew from the moment I became a member by handing you that legally signed contract and my check that I was homeless hence why you did not cash the check for a month and an issue arose over this matter.

This is not the end of this matter and I will go to the appropriate sources in order to rectify the situation appropriately. This is unexceptionable, this is unjust and unfair.

You have just denied a homeless person who is a student at your campus, and who works on campus as a student assistant with fellow PhD professors 20 hours a week and who has a second job outside of school landscaping a one dollar slice of pizza and a drink every Tuesday and Thursday.

Big grats to your Accounting Society.

EMAIL #6 – October 4, 2013

Jeff

Aaron Campos, President of the Accounting Society and the faculty advisor for the Accounting Society, Dr. Kohlmeyer, have informed me of your situation and shared with me your email communications. As the Chair of the Department of Accounting I made the final decision. All future communication on this matter should come to me directly and not Aaron or Dr. Kohlmeyer.

If you wish to discuss the matter further with me feel free to do so in an appropriate and respectful manner. If you wish to discuss the matter with an individual outside the Department of Accounting I suggest you contact Shannon Nolan in Student Life & Leadership (snolan@csusm.edu).